Cameroonian mixed martial arts star Francis Ngannou is set to return to the cage on 16 May in Los Angeles, where he will face Brazilian heavyweight Philipe Lins in a highly anticipated bout. The 39-year-old former champion of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has not competed in MMA since October 2024, when he defeated Brazil’s Renan Ferreira in his only appearance for the Professional Fighters League (PFL). Ngannou officially parted ways with the PFL on 6 March 2026, opening the door for his next fight under a different promotion. Ngannou, who holds an MMA record of 18 wins and 3 losses, left the UFC in 2023 after a well-publicized contract dispute with its president, Dana White. After departing the organization, he signed with the PFL and also pursued a crossover boxing career.
During that period, Ngannou faced two of boxing’s biggest heavyweights. He first fought Tyson Fury in October 2023 and later squared off against Anthony Joshua in March 2024. Although he lost both fights, the bouts generated global attention and significant earnings for the Cameroonian fighter. His upcoming return will take place outside MMA’s two dominant organizations, the UFC and PFL. Instead, the event will be promoted by Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), the combat sports company founded by YouTuber-turned-boxer Jake Paul. The event is expected to be broadcast through a partnership with streaming platform Netflix.
The fight card will also feature a major women’s bout between American MMA star Ronda Rousey and former fighter-turned-actress Gina Carano. The event is scheduled to take place at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, the home arena of the Los Angeles Clippers of the National Basketball Association. Ngannou’s return is expected to attract global attention as the former UFC champion continues to build a career across multiple combat sports platforms.
